Hot Cutout

[sparkyrj]

Hi ,got a call from misses on saturday on way home from job that next door neighbour has smell of burning from under stairs. When i went in he said , this bit, pointing to cutout, was too hot to touch earlier but has cooled down now! When i pulled on live from cutout it started to arc badly, so told him to call electricity supplier as i couldnt touch it, and turn off any load in the house.Anyway i talked to them for him (EDF) and it took three calls to different numbers and half an hour to get them to send somebody out. They did turn up within the hour though. They told him the connection wasnt loose, but that the cutout was old and worn out and needed replacing and thats what they did. The cutout didnt look too old, and the meter has been replaced not that about 4 years ago .The worse thing is they noticed the burning smell the night before and didnt call anyone untill saturday lunchtime.very worrying. Pray

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I had a call-out today. Little old lady who's lecky went off 10.30 last night. The fault was all four connections to the meter had never been tightened up. Not just a little loose but all, fully unwound. The meter was replaced 8 years ago (tag still hanging off the tails) and the fitter must simply had forgot to tighten the terminals before sealing the unit with one of those green plastic seals that anyone can purchase off e-bay.It was the neutral feed that had finally arced out. I did my good deed for the day and did not charge.

 

[a1]

Aww Bless, Slips.